Dynabeads
Encyclopedia
Dynabeads are superparamagnetic, monosized and spherical polymer
particles with a consistent, defined surface for the adsorption
or coupling of various bioreactive molecules or cells.
They were developed after John Ugelstad managed to create uniform polystyrene spherical beads (defined as microbeads
) of exactly the same size, at the University of Trondheim, Norway
in 1976, something otherwise only achieved by NASA
in the weightless
conditions of SkyLab
.
This discovery revolutionised the separation of many biological materials. The technology behind the beads, called Dynabeads, was licensed to Dyno Industrier in 1980 and this magnetic separation technology has been since used for the isolation and manipulation of biological material, including cells, nucleic acids, proteins and pathogenic microorganisms. Dynabeads is also used in cancer research applications for what is called cell isolation.
Following a series of mergers and acquisitions Dynal and Dynabeads are currently owned and produced by Invitrogen, part of Life Technologies.
Polymer
A polymer is a large molecule composed of repeating structural units. These subunits are typically connected by covalent chemical bonds...
particles with a consistent, defined surface for the adsorption
Adsorption
Adsorption is the adhesion of atoms, ions, biomolecules or molecules of gas, liquid, or dissolved solids to a surface. This process creates a film of the adsorbate on the surface of the adsorbent. It differs from absorption, in which a fluid permeates or is dissolved by a liquid or solid...
or coupling of various bioreactive molecules or cells.
They were developed after John Ugelstad managed to create uniform polystyrene spherical beads (defined as microbeads
Microbeads
Microbeads are uniform polymer particles, typically 0.5 to 500 micrometres in diameter. Bio-reactive molecules can be adsorbed or coupled to their surface, and used to separate biological materials such as cells, proteins, or nucleic acids....
) of exactly the same size, at the University of Trondheim, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
in 1976, something otherwise only achieved by NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
in the weightless
Weightlessness
Weightlessness is the condition that exists for an object or person when they experience little or no acceleration except the acceleration that defines their inertial trajectory, or the trajectory of pure free-fall...
conditions of SkyLab
Skylab
Skylab was a space station launched and operated by NASA, the space agency of the United States. Skylab orbited the Earth from 1973 to 1979, and included a workshop, a solar observatory, and other systems. It was launched unmanned by a modified Saturn V rocket, with a mass of...
.
This discovery revolutionised the separation of many biological materials. The technology behind the beads, called Dynabeads, was licensed to Dyno Industrier in 1980 and this magnetic separation technology has been since used for the isolation and manipulation of biological material, including cells, nucleic acids, proteins and pathogenic microorganisms. Dynabeads is also used in cancer research applications for what is called cell isolation.
Following a series of mergers and acquisitions Dynal and Dynabeads are currently owned and produced by Invitrogen, part of Life Technologies.